Bed reading rack



Nov. 2, 1943a A. ZANELLA BED READING RACK Filed April e, 1943 .m W W V IB Patented Nov. .2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention is a handy reading rack for bed occupants; invalid or otherwise.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple, practical, substantial, steady support to which may be easily appliedl newspapers, books, pictures and game devices. and other desired matter, all herein called textual instruments.

And to provide a bed rack having means for attachment to a post of a bed and including suitable adjustable limbs to accommodate the positioning of a panel thereof in suitable juxtaposition to the bed occupant.

A noticeable object of the invention is to provide a book resting panel of large area and having very simple and low cost features for gripping the lateral margins of book pages and the top and bottom of an inserted book backbone.

The invention consists in certain advancements in this art as set forth in the ensuing dis- -closure and having, with the above, additional objects and advantages. as hereinafter exhibited, and whose construction, combinations, and details of means, and the manner of operation will be made manifest in the description of the present illustrative embodiment; it being understood that modifications. variations and adaptations may be resorted to within the scope, principle and spirit of the invention as particularly claimed in the addendum.

Figure l1 is a frontal view, of the rack.

Figure 2 is a top edge plan of the rack.

Figure 3 is a detail section showing the left leaf clamp. v

Figure 4 is a central, vertical section of the panel, showing the top and bottom book clamps.

Means to clamp onto a bed post P includes a pair of stiff leaves 2 and 3 through which extends a strong bolt l to close the seat faces on the leaves onto the presented post. One of the leaves has a top bearing 5 in which is a vertical oivot' carrying a horizontally swinging arm .1. which is of angular cross-section. Slidable along and nonrotatively mounted on the arm 1 is a block 8 provided with a' vertical pivot 9 on which is journaled the adjacent end of a cylindrical rail I0.

In front of the rail l0 is a large area, stiff panel Il fixed t'o the back of which is a yoke I2 turnably iournaled'on the rail I0 and having a fixed nut I3 provided with a set screw Il designed to be set hard against the interposed rail and thus I firmly hold the panel at any suitable or most comfortable position in front of the reader lying in the bed; that is, angular position. The arm 1 and the rail pivoted thereon enable a wide range of horizontal adjustment of the panel.

It is desired to provide a most simple, low cost and practical means to grip the top and bottom edges of the backbone of a book placed on the face of the panel, and one that will not interfere with the turning of the pages of the clamped book. This means includes a rigid, stationary up-facing hook I5 on the front, bottom margin of the panel Il in a position vertically below a firm, downwardly facing top hook i6. This hook is xed to a slide I'I working along a vertical slot I8 in the panel and having at the back a long, light tension spring I9 whose lower end is anchored to the lower, back margin of the panel. When a book is placed on the panel face these two hooks cooperate to engage the book backbone and firmly hold the book.

To hold down the leaves of a book or the side I margins of a pliant newspaper, for instance, the panel has on each side of the center suitable length slots 20 horizontally disposed and through each extends a bolt 2| engaging a carriage 22 slidable along the face of the panel and on which is pivoted a gripping flnger 23 pointing in toward the center of the panel and having a tension spring 24 or the equivalent pulling the tip of the finger in toward the panel to clamp onto the interposed textual instrument on the panel., To provide for the quick and easy sliding of the fingers 23 along the panel face a suitable friction spring 25 is hung on the relative carriage bolt 2l and adjusted by the bolt to have desired pressure on the panel to keep the finger in desired position. 'Ihe carriage of each finger may have a handle button 28 for easy manipulation of the gripping finger along the panel.

What is claimed is:

l. In a rack of the class described; a planefaced panel member for supporting applied textual instruments and having an elongated slot vertically thereof, a book bottomrest fixed on the said member, and a book-top gripping hook slidable in the said slot and having a down pulling spring fixed to the back of the panel at-a point belowthe lower end of the said slot; the panel having short cross-slots ending near the vertical slot;` and means slidable in the cross-slots to hold back lateral margins of the applied instrument.

2. A reading rack with means for attachment to a bed post and including a plane-faced panel member having slides mounted on, and shiftable in vertical and'transverse slots in, the panel for "gripping side edges and the top of .textual instruments to hold them in readable position, and a fixed back-bone rest, on the panel, at the bottom of the vertical slot; the slide, working in the vertical slot, having an elongated spring one end of which is anchored to the panel at the bottom of the vertical slot.

, APOLLONY ZANELLA. 

